P-53 Enfield Musket Dated 1862

[Greendoor]

Do all P-53's have the word tower on the lock plate? I saw a dated 1862 P-53 musket with the crown on the lock plate and a date of 1862. There was no Tower written on the lock plate.

 

[originalrebelyell]

They don't all have Tower on the lock plate. I have one that has the crown behind the hammer and 1861 on the lock plate in front of the hammer.

 

[JOHN42768]

In a word,No. This is not 100%, but give you some basic info http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/articles/walden/enfauth.htm Welcome, John

 

[Greendoor]

How would you know if they were a real Tower if they don't have it engraved on the lock plate? I 've read that there is alot of fake P-53's flooding the market.

 

[kevikens]

If one is going to go to the trouble of producing fake Enfields one can readily make the locks with fake engraving. The presence or lack of the word, "TOWER" is not a guarantee of authenticity.

 

[Craig L Barry]

Basic info: "TOWER" was merely supposed to mean that the arm was subjected to and passed an Ordnance Dept inspection with gauges at the government facility that was a/k/a the "Tower." There was a facility on Bagot St in Birmingham near the gun quarter and of course, the Tower Armoury in London. In reality "TOWER" engraved on the lock plate meant no such thing as the hundreds of thousands of P53s marked that way and imported by the US and CS never got anywhere near a government facility or an inspection with gauges.

A lock plate with no markings other than the date in front of the hammer, especially in italics, would suggest it was made in Belgium. They often have V*R (with a star between the V and the R) under the crown behind the hammer.